Chapter 1- Girl meets Rat
by panatlantic
Summary: ranma 1/2 fruitsbasket x-over
1. Default Chapter

Initial setting: the haunted house that Cologne has set up at the carnival in the manga (its been a while since I read it so I'm not too sure timeline wise... Ranma has just mastered the tenshin amagurikin (spelling optional) I forget the name of Honda-sans school, and I forget where they live... eheh... I've only seen 3 episodes of fruits basket but I really like it ^_^; -also since i'm back to spell check sinc ei wrote this a while ago - really time has no meaning iin any fic i write cos i'm not to good with continuity so some events will be out of order  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed as the pheonix pill dropped into the boiling water, dissolving like sugar in tea. He didn't even continue the fight, he'd already lost what he was fighting for, instead employing the saotome secret technique (ie running) on intinct to at least preserve his dignity as tears started to run down his... no, he mentally amended, `her' cheeks.  
  
Cologne looked on confused for a few moments before muttering, "Baka, that wasn't even the real pill." Akane just shrugged to herself and headed home.  
  
Once she got home she treated Kasumis' concerns at Ranmas not being with her with her usual indifference. A few hours later he still hadn't returned so Akane did the only thing she could think of to apease her sister. She checked the dojo and and the roof (after all, that's where Ranma usually went to mope), then `remembered' Ranma mentioning a training trip or something. This did the trick and Kasumi went back to her normal demeanor. Akane smirked to herself, thinking, `that'll teach that baka to be better at catching goldfish than me'. Nabiki just rolled her eyes at Akanes obvious lie, figuring Ranma had just wanted some time alone (after all Nabikis' own sources had already revealed the loss of the supposed Pheonix pill).  
  
Ranma walked for several days until he was beyond his own knowledge of where he was. `So this is what it feels like to be Ryoga'. She was tired and miserable and had really wished she'd thought to go back to the Tendos' to get her pack. Couldn't go back now. How could he be a `man amongst men' in this body? He didn't want to die. He was a fool to think he could be one even being a male half the time. Sooo... `she' was a ronin now. Being a ronin sucked, she thought as her stomach growled again. Walking over to a little stream she looked at her reflection and couldn't help laughing a the petite redhead smudged with dirt and leaves in a filthy, torn kimono. at least she could have worn her own clothes to run away in. The kimono was beyond repair - Kasumi would not be impressed.  
  
He had a little money left from the carnival which he'd figure he'd spend on some new clothes and a whole heap of instant raman - hunting for food was fine but instant raman was better. He made himself as presentable as possible so as not to draw too much attention and headed into town. It didn't take too long to find what he was looking for, and it was a whole too blocks later that he realised `she' should have bought a smaller size than himself. Mentally groaning she turned and headed back to the store. No wonder the man at the counter had looked surprised when she said they were for herself.  
  
Not far from the store he noticed some kids about his own age talking, 3 girls in the local area uniform which he didn't recognise and a boy that hung back a little while they talked. He attracted Ranmas attention because his stance indicated he was most likely a high level martial artist - Ranma cheered up thinking maybe she could pick up some new techniques and smiled to herself. Yuki noticed the redhead girl across the street staring at him with a predatory grin on her face - sure she was cute, but he had plenty of `cute' girls harrassing him at school already, so he gave her the `I'm taken' cold look and stepped closer to Honda. `Gag! he thinks I'm interested!' Ranma thought to `her'self indignantly. She thought about it for all of two seconds in the classic Saotome way and decided to just go ask him which school of the martial arts he practiced, until he figured out what to do for the rest of hi... her life he might as well train.  
  
Yuki could feel the sweat running down the back of his neck as he saw the redhead cross the street out of his peripheral vision. Honda kept on chatting with Uo-chan and Hana-chan mindless of what was going on. "Hey you!" Ranma yelled, trying to get Yuki's attention, Honda turned sharply at the yell, in the process spilling her soda and bumping into Yuki who she didn't realise had moved in closer behind her. "Ahh!" She yelped in realisation before turning back to her friends and pointed at the sky behind them, "A UFO!" she screamed desperately, getting them to look away while she searched Yukis clothes, but he wasn't there. Startled she shoved his things in her bag and turned back to her friends who were still peering at the sky. "Eh... my bad." She giggled hysterically at the two onlookers who just shrugged. "So!" She interupted brightly as Hana tried to point out Sohma-kun had dissapeared. "I er... need to use the bathroom, can we go to your place, Hana-chan? Onegai shimasu!"  
  
"Eh...?" She replied confused, while they were dragged off by Honda-san, who hoped Yuki could make it home alright.  
  
"Geez... that was close..." Muttered Ranma, perched on the stores roof clutching the white mouse in her hand. It was obvious to Ranma that the one girl knew and the others weren't supposed to. "Curses suck huh? I got one too, don't worry, I'll get you somewhere to change." She jumped smoothly from rooftop to rooftop (a mean feat in a kimono) until she found a restroom, pausing at the vending machine she purchased a cup of tea before marching into the mens. The previous lone occupant quickly vacated. Placing the mouse and the cup of tea in one of the cubicles and waited for him to change, tapping one foot impatiently. Mouse-type Yuki just looked at the tea and shrugged, concentrating on trying to change back (which never seemed to help but at least he felt like he was trying). Ranma had been in this position often enough to feel a little sympathy for the boy, so didn't say anything when he still hadn't come out ten minutes later. "Oh yeah!" she exclaimed to herself, sliding  
the bag of clothes under the door of the cubicle. "Sorry! Wasn't thinking!" She was only a little upset she wouldn't be able to exchange them for better fitting clothes now they'd been worn. There was a rustle from inside the cubicle and a few minutes later the boy from earlier reappeared, looking shaken and embarressed."Hey! You gotta be more careful if you're gonna keep that a secret!" Ranma exclaimed with the voice of experience. "I need them back!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The clothes, I need them back `cos they're all I got." She was silent for a moment, tapping her lips thoughtfully."I'm camping just outside town, I'll be there for a couple days probably so... " She shrugged slightly, he'd probably never find her camp `somewhere' "Well where do you live, I'll pick them up there."  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"No good huh... okay I'll pick them up at your school tommorrow morning. Ja ne!!" She slapped him heartily across the back as she ran off. He stood in shock for a few minutes that he hadn't changed on contact. Maybe it had something ot do with her having a curse as well. He thought he knew all the cursed members of the Sohma family. He made a mental note to ask Shigure about it. 


	2. Chapter 2- ?

Chapter 2  
  
Minagawa Motoko was, to put it lightly, angry. Perhaps `pissed' might have been a better analogy. She had tolerated the `interference' of the Honda girl, but this new girl was another threat altogether. When approached the girl who had been sitting on the school gate had described the person she was looking for and it could only be the prince... Some poorly dressed wild woman would not put out Minagawa Motoko. So she did the only thing she could think of, she fetched Takei. The school student council president would get rid of that hussy soon enough.  
  
"You! Girl! Come down from there!"  
  
Ranma kept staring off into the distance unperturbed.  
  
"Hey! Are you a student here?" He tossed a small stone to attract her attention, which she caught without looking around. She looked at the stone a few seconds before turning to look at Takei.  
  
"Huh? You talkin' to me?"  
  
Takei felt his heart leap into his throat at the site of the girl, despite the leaves tangled in her hair and a dirty kimono she was stunning! A veritable amazon beauty...  
  
"Er... are you here to register for school, miss?"  
  
"What? No way! I ain't going to no school! If I wanted to go to school I wouldnta run away in the first place!" Which wasn't entirely the reason he'd run away - just one of the pros of the situation.  
  
A runaway! That poor poor girl... Takei could barely holdback tears... obviously some situation at home had driven her out and denied her further education! No! He would not allow it! It was his duty to make sure this girl was educated in a proper manner!  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Takaya Natsuki!" Ranma lied, naming a manga artist off the top of her head  
  
"I will make sure you attend school!! He exploded righteously as Mt Fuji erupted and lightening flashed dramatically in the background a la Kuno.  
  
"Ehhh... whatever..." Ranma rolled her eyes as the idiot ran off to fulfill his new life goal.  
  
"'Hey! Boy!" Yelled Ranma seeing her quarry arrive. She didn't catch his name last time. "Is that my stuff?" She jumped down from the fence to confront him. He was tailed by one of the girls from yesterday that blushed furiously, a red haired boy and a black dog that watched the exchange with interest.  
  
"Un." Yuki responded holding out the bag. He was a little curious as to what the girl wanted them for - they'd been far too large for him, so couldn't possibly fit her, and yet they'd been new. Maybe something to do with that curse she'd mentioned?  
  
"Yatta!" She cried pulling out the items, pulling on the black kung fu pants beneath the kimono. She pulled out a Chinese style shirt and started unfastening her obi when Tohru coughed politely.  
  
"Uhm... miss...?"  
  
"Eh? Oh you can just call me Ranma." Replied the girl with a grin.  
  
"Ranma-san!" Tohru replied with a genuine smile, "Tohru Honda!" She offered her hand and Ranma shook it. "Would you like to use the girls locker room to change, you can shower there and..."  
  
"Girls?" Ranma burst of laughter was cut short as she realized that's what she was now... a girl... only for now tho...  
  
"Eh... its okay... nobody uses them first periods so you won't get into trouble or..." Tohru stuttered, misunderstanding Ranma's reluctance.  
  
"Oh. Well I guess if no ones using them anyway... and I really could use a shower..."  
  
Tohru was just relieved her new friend had decided not to continue changing out in the open. Yuki who had turned away from the scene, had an uncharacteristic blush across his checks. Kyou had passed out.  
  
As Ranma was lead away by Tohru he called back at Yuki, "Hey boy! Your dog has a blood nose... is that normal for dogs?" Tohru sweatdropped.  
  
*******  
  
Mayuko-sensei listened to Takei Motoko with a fire burning in her eyes at the woe-full tale of a girl cast from her family and unable to attend school, why just this morning Takei had seen her staring longingly at the school from the gates, weeping in regret... too proud to ask for the education which Japanese government demanded someone her age complete...  
  
"Yes! Yes you're right!" She exclaimed clasping his hands as tears rolled down her cheeks. "We must help her achieve her dream!"  
  
So she called the school truancy officer.  
  
"Don't you have to get to class Honda-san?" Asked Ranma, flipping off the filthy kimono.  
  
"Eh..? No, its okay, I have a free study period."  
  
Tohru went to her own locker and produced shampoo, soap, a washcloth, a comb and a towel for Ranma, who didn't have the heart to refuse the girly, strawberry scented toiletries... after all, her hair did need cleaning...  
  
"Uh... thanks." Honda picked up and smoothed out the Kimono. "Oh, that's okay... I think it s beyond salvation." Ranma remarked noticing Hondas attention.  
  
"Un. I can try to clean it if you like..." She replied dubiously.  
  
"Nah, its okay. There was a landslide last night where I'm camping and it was pretty trashed. Turns out it was lucky I lent this stuff to your friend after all." Ranma turned away to see Honda with a shocked look on her face.  
  
"... Is something wrong?"  
  
"No... no... its just... are you living alone? What do you plan to do?"  
  
Ranma was silent for a moment before replying "Yeah, I guess I'm a bum now... guess I'll hang around for a while, try to get a job `cos I need money to go to China to look for something."  
  
"Oh." Honda looked at her feet for a moment. "I might know where you can get a job... its cleaning nights so you can still go to school... its very important to complete your education." Honda stated matter of factly.  
  
Ranma just smirked and thought to herself `not if I can help it', but refrained from saying it since it was obviously something the girl was passionate about. Ranma finished her cold shower, the cats tongue making it feel extremely warm. Toweling herself off and changing into her new clothes - a replica of her normal red shirt and black pants.  
  
"Guess I got the wrong size!" She laughed tugging at the overlarge shirt. Honda stifled a giggle. Since Honda had another 15 minutes until her next class she took Ranma to the schools Cafeteria to buy her something to eat after the other girl's stomach growled. Even though Ranma had laughed the incident off, saying she lost most of her supplies in the land shift and just hadn't had breakfast yet. Honda figured the girl probably didn't have much to lose. Twenty-seven instant ramen cups 2 meters under resented that remark.  
  
Honda walked Ranma to the outer gate to see her off, with a promise to meet her there after school to help look for a job. Honda also insisted she join them for dinner after (seeing as Shigure had wanted to talk to the girl anyway it should be all-right).  
  
"Takaya Natsuki! You may not leave the grounds during school hours without permission!" Cried a voice as Ranma stepped through the gate. Ranma ignored it, presuming it was directed at somebody else seeing as she'd already forgotten claiming that name earlier.  
  
There was that jerk from earlier brandishing a student ID with a rough drawing of herself in the photo slot. "No way." Ranma murmured.  
  
"Men! Take her back to class!" A full squadron of six truancy officers jogged forward looking more like prison guards (in Ranma's mind, there was no difference).  
  
Ranma took on a fighting stance, until Honda put a restraining hand on her shoulder. Honda may not know much about fighting but she recognized an offensive stance from the time she'd spent with Kyou and Yuki. "Ranma-chan!" She whispered with reverence and barely suppressed tears in her eyes. "Its wonderful! Somehow... somehow Kami-sama has made it so you can attend school!"  
  
Ranma, unable to argue with the Kasumi-esque Honda slumped her shoulders in defeat and allowed herself to be led of to the penitentiary... er... school.  
  
Ranma was absolutely seething by the time she was led into class. Surely this constituted abduction or something. Somehow she'd been forced into wearing the girls uniform, and the bra? Well that had been in the school rules for girls... but she'd never consented to the `cute' touches like the little heart motifs around the knee length socks, or the big pink bow on the end of her pigtail.  
  
She was roughly shoved through the classroom door which was locked form the outside with a loud click. She gave a token shake on the knob, which resolutely would not turn before turning to face the class.  
  
"Er... sorry about this..."  
  
At the teachers insistence Ranma introduced herself, using her student ID as notes.  
  
"Er... my name is Takaya Natsuki..."  
  
There was a giggle from more than one fan of the mangaka. Ranma blushed and returned to the card. "It says here I gotta scholarship and stuff... but they messed up my birthdate.. hmmm... I like fighting. That's about it."  
  
She stood there in silence glaring back at the class until the teacher dismissed her. She took a seat near a girl with a braid and glasses that had looked innocent enough but gave Ranma a look that could freeze blood. Not bad exactly... just kinda emotionless...  
  
Ranma struggled through most of the lessons - which would have happened at any school, but was attributed to her being a new student.  
  
During break Tohru introduced Ranma to Uotani Arisa and Hanajima Saki. The two questioned Ranma mercilessly, but only in the way of overzealous protectors, which Ranma figured was probably just as well since Tohru was so accepting with everything. Hanajima-san had some weird kinda ki-reading and was sending off some kinda denpa which Ranma hadn't encountered before so she decided to question her on it if they ever became friends at all.  
  
It was during this interrogation that Minagawa Motoko decided to confront Ranma again, declaring herself president of the `Prince Yuki' fan club. So Ranma, not being one to argue with girls if he could help it (mostly... well... a little... actually, she just planned to tease this Yuki-guy mercilessly when she got the chance) asked to join. Minagawa was lost for words as Ranma turned on the ultra cute she had previously saved for conning Kuno. Minagawa shivered under the pleading look of dewy eyes, pouted lips and absolute submission to `Motoko-sama', and before she could stop herself had even offered to waive the usual administrative fee.  
  
"Feh! I almost hate myself for resorting to that..." Stated Ranma when Minagawa had left.  
  
"Why did you join then?" Asked Uotani genuinely confused.  
  
"Didn't you hear? I get a membership card, guide book, T-shirt, limited edition poster and keying!" She dangled the keyring in front of Minagawa had given her in front of her eyes. "Hey! This ouji-guy looks kinda familiar..." Hanajima and Uotani facefaulted.  
  
******  
  
"Oh Yuuuuuuuki-sama!" Coooed Ranma as she bounced along with Tohru and Kyou, she'd received the rest of her `free gifts' just before school finished and had pulled the shirt and cap on with her normal black pants as soon as class ended. "Why didn't you tell me you were royalty?" She broke down into fits of laughter again as Tohru blushed furiously and Yuki scowled.  
  
Kyou had also taken to calling him oujiro-Yuki-sama, and the two redheads were now cackling amongst themselves when Ranma went to slap Kyou on the back and the boy jumped back about 3 feet. "Heydon'ttouchme!" He yelped. Ranma just raised an eyebrow at the antic, Yuki completely forgotten.  
  
"Whatsa matter Kyooooou-kun! I don't got cooties!" Ranma said with a mock-hurt expression on her face soon replaced by a huge grin.  
  
"Ehh... Kyou-kun is very shy of girls Ranma-chan.." Tohru began, but Yuki silenced her with something she'd never seen before - a rather feral grin spread across his face.  
  
"It'll be okay Honda-san, Ranma is one of `us'."  
  
"Ehhhh?!?!"  
  
It never occurred to Ranma to be offended by Kyou's retreat - it wasn't even a workout to keep up with his scrambled retreat... well at least it wasn't offensive until he told her it was lucky she was a girl because he didn't fight baka girls. Ranma had stopped in her tracks, her head hung low...  
  
"What'd you say?"  
  
Kyou, thinking to have the upperhand of the `fight' added. "I said I wouldn't want to hurt a..." Kyou froze as Ranma raised her head, her eyes burning with a battle aura. "Don't you call me a girl!" She screamed lunging at him. Kyou barely dodged the punch that left a splintered tree behind him, before he was taken in an armlock. Ranma's fist was scant millimeters from his face when she held the punch, an odd expression dawning on her face. "Eh... but I am a girl." Right now anyway, she added mentally. "What kinda lame insult is that?" She released Kyou's shirt letting him fall to the ground.  
  
"Meow?" The shocked Kyou managed, unsure as to why he still looked human. 


	3. 'installment' 3

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v_v; I have been using spell check... how embarrassing... sorry if it seems rushed at all - I got a broken leg and a couple broken toes (on the other leg) so I haven't got much to do till I can walk again so I will try better next time ^_^; (I can't do much about grammar stuff though because I'm just no good at that... heheh) and finally I've seen up to episode 4 now (I can't get fansubs here much) and I know many of the characters I mention are ooc but its because I only know about them by reading off websites! *sweatdrop*  
  
Installment 3 (since they're not really chapters after all)  
  
"Would you like some tea, Ranma-chan?"  
  
"Yes tha... uh... actually, I can't drink tea... I'm kinda sensitive to hot water right now..." Ranma had found out the previous night while trying to prepare instant ramen that `hot water' included things like soup and tea. Conversely, it didn't seem to include just anything hot... just the mostly-liquid range. Honda, not being one to pry, offered to get Ranma some ice tea, which she accepted gratefully.  
  
"Arigato Tohru-chan!" Ranma thanked, using the familiar name Honda had insisted on, though Ranma was a little embarrassed to use it on a girl he hardly knew, he supposed it was okay for two girls.  
  
"Ohhh! Honda-san brought another of her cute friends home!" Exclaimed a kimono clad man, clasping his hands in apparent excitement.  
  
"Hey! Shigure! Watch this!" Yelled Kyou excitedly, jumping up and patting Ranma on the head, shoulders and back with both hands while grinning maniacally.  
  
"Hentai." Murmured Ranma sipping her tea.  
  
"Ohh...." Shigure went serious for a moment, grasping her hands and "Ranma-chan, do you have any family with the last name `Sohma?'" Shigure thought it unlikely that there were any Sohma bloodlines unaccounted for.  
  
"Huh? Not that I ever heard of.. my Pops was pretty proud of our ancestry but i don't remember that name at all..."  
  
"Hmm Hmm," nodded Shigure. That only left one possibility." Have you ever turned into a cat?"  
  
"Ehhhh?!!? How did you know about that?!?!?" Exclaimed Ranma thinking he was referring to the results of the neko-ken. Shigure smirked holding his hand to his chin in a pistol grip.  
  
Honda had stars in her eyes as she grabbed onto Ranma's hands. "Ranma? You're a cat too?!?!"  
  
"I swear it's only happened a couple of times! It wasn't my fault, I couldn't control it... look if I hurt anyone you know or anything..."  
  
"Kyou is a cat too!" Chimed Honda happily.  
  
"Huh? I thought my pop was the only one in the world dumb enough to go through with that training. Baka Panda."  
  
"Your father turns into a Panda?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"   
  
Shigure scratched his head thoughtfully... there was no Panda in the Chinese zodiac.  
  
"So... you turn into a cat when a boy touches you?"  
  
"Huh? Why would I do that? I only turn into a cat when there's other cats around!"  
  
"Eh... so your curse is activated by cats?"  
  
"No my curse is activated by water... well it was but now I'm stuck like this `cos some Chinese amazon elder hit me up with some shiatsu."  
  
"She cured your curse with shiatsu?"  
  
"No, she just kinda locked me in this form, `cos now I'm super sensitive to hot water and can't change." Ranma was finding it difficult to follow now so she tried desperately to turn the conversation around. "So what causes you guys to change if it isn't water?"  
  
"Eh... well every generation members of the Sohma family are cursed to change in to the animals of the Chinese Zodiac." Shigure was uncharacteristically free with the information, he'd already decided Ranma would have to meet Hatori - if there was any chance the curses could be locked away with shiatsu and the cursed members live more normal lives he was all for it. "We change when we get touched by members of the opposite gender - unless of course they're members of the Sohma bloodline or have been pregnant with members.... and you, but that's probably because of your curse too... "  
  
"I see, I see..." Ranma nodded sagely. "You're that dog from this morning."  
  
"Eh?!?!? How can you tell?!?!"  
  
"You have nearly identical facial expressions."  
  
"Gyeh!" Shigure clutched his heart like he'd been wounded. He crawled off into the corner of the room mumbling to himself about having a face like a dog.  
  
"What do you turn into Tohru-chan?" Ranma asked into the temporary silence.  
  
"Eh? Oh... I'm not related to the Sohma, Ranma, I don't have a curse."  
  
"Ohh... So Yuki's a rat, Shigure's a dog and Kyou's a *shudder* cat?."  
  
"Hey! What's wrong with being a cat?!!?" Kyou yelled defensively, remembering his painful past.  
  
"`Nothin'. I just don't like cats." Ranma looked away nervously.  
  
"Oh." Muttered Honda. She didn't know Kyou's history, but she did know he was sensitive about being the outsider of the zodiac. "Are you allergic of cats, Ranma-chan?"  
  
"Huh? No... its just...I don't like `em." She laughed nervously, adding "nothin personal Kyou."  
  
"Nothing personal?" He growled indignantly. Scowling he stormed out of the room. A flustered Honda followed, begging Kyou to calm down.  
  
"What's his problem?" Mumbled Ranma.  
  
"Eh... he had some problems dealing with his curse when he was younger..."  
  
"Oh. I can understand that... musta been worse bein' a cat then since there's no cat in the Chinese Zodiac." Ranma noticed the other two looking at her as if the oddly perceptive remark didn't belong... that look usually took weeks for people to develop after meeting Ranma. "What? I spent some time in China... you pick these things up!."  
  
There was a =Pwof! Thump! Aiyaaa!! Gomenasaiiiii!!!!= from the next room and Honda stumbled out looking on the verge of tears while clutching Kyou's clothes. Ranma knew instinctively what had happened, she could feel the aura of the beast in the house.. smell it... hear it... coming... the hairs on the back of her neck started to prickle and she sat all the way in the back of the couch clutching tightly on the seats arms.  
  
"What?!? What's wrong with being a cat?!? I'm housebroken!" Demanded the orange cat leaping up onto the couch. Ranma was sweating profusely now.  
  
`Plsgowaymistaakiddy." She managed through clenched teeth, her eyes darting about the room looking for escapes.  
  
"Mr. Kitty?!? Not till you give me a reasonable answer on what's wrong with cats!"  
  
But Kyou had, it seemed pushed her two far, She screamed loudly and then there was silence as the cat aura replaced her own, dampening the sound in the room.  
  
"What the hell?" `Mister Kitty' choked out, feeling his hackles rising he backed off. Ranma had now backed into the corner and hissed maniacally at the group.  
  
"Ra...R...Ranma-chan?" Managed Honda hopefully. The girl cat just hissed some more and began running her hands in a clawing fashion on the bricks walls, frantically trying to get out of the room - more surpising the weak looking efforts were producing gashes in the wall..  
  
Shigure picked up Kyou and held him out at arms length. "Wh-what are you doing?!" demanded the cat.  
  
"You're a cat! Tell her you're sorry or something just make her stop wrecking my house!!" In truth Shigure was less worried about property damage, and more worried what would happen if the girl/cat decided to turn on them to find an easier escape.  
  
"Er... meow meow?" The cat/boy managed, distracting her for a moment she looked at the offered sacrifice curiously before grabbing him in her mouth by the scruff of his neck and backing into the corner again.  
  
"Oh great idea Shigure, now she's got hostage!" Replied Yuki sarcastically.  
  
"She must think it's a kitten." Murmured Honda.  
  
"Eh... well at least she'll be more interested in escaping and less in mauling us...?" Managed Shigure with a shrug. Ranma, as if to fulfil this prophecy turned on the group again, ironically deciding on a more direct exit. Ironic because a few more swipes would have reduced the wall to rubble.  
  
"Myewwwr.." she growled low in her throat before charging between the stunned onlookers and out into the forest.  
  
"Savvvvve meeeee!!!!!!!!" Yelled Kyou still hanging from her mouth.  
  
Kyou was dazed and sore from his pendulous journey when Ranma finally found a tree she liked, quickly scampering to the higher branches, she held Kyou under one paw and proceeded to wash with the other (cat style).  
  
"Hey! Heeeey! Let me go already!! If I change back it ain't gonna be pretty!" This seemed to attract her attention. "Yeah that's right! Naked! Butt Naked! N! A! K! Eaaghh..." Kyou passed out as Ranma-neko began to wash him too. Seeing her noisy kitten had fallen asleep, Ranma-neko yawned, wrapping herself around the kitten to keep it warm and secure and went to sleep.  
  
...which is exactly how the others found them a few hours later - except of course that Kyou had reverted to his human form and was now hanging for dear life to a startlingly thin tree branch some eighty meters above the ground (in the state of dress formerly described as `naked, butt naked' with a curled up sleeping Ranma-chan on his back. Ranma stretched and yawned after her nap, blinking her eyes to adjust to the flashing light.  
  
"Stop moving so much! You'll make us fall!" Snapped Kyou from underneath her.  
  
"Eh? Oh jeez!! You're sending my blind! Put these on!" She yelped, tossing him her black leggings, pulling down the oversize shirt to create a knee length dress. Shigure hadn't stopped taking photos of the compromising scene for the last ten minutes. Yuki and Honda were at the bottom of the tree craning their necks to see what was going on.  
  
"I warned you I couldn't control it!" She accused Shigure and Kyou. "I told you I hated cats!" She huffily stepped off the branch to the surprise of the two, landing softly on her feet below, ignoring Yuki and Tohru she stomped off into the night. 


	4. 'install' 4

"Where is that baka! He should be back by now!" Hmpfed Akane for the third time that hour.  
  
"But Akane, I thought you said Ranma went on a training trip? You know he may be weeks before he returns." Chided Kasumi, mentally weary of Akane's attitude.  
  
"So?"  
  
Kasumi just sighed wearily.  
  
Nabiki's ears had perked up a little, but so far no new information. Ranma's whereabouts could earn her a considerable amount of money - if she knew them that was. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.  
  
Getting into the Kuno family mansion was turning out to be a problem too. Kuno knew something. It bothered Nabiki greatly to be on the raw end of information. Tatewaki had stopped asking about the pigtailed girl two days ago, and today announced to Akane he would be gone for a few days to rescue his pig tailed goddess, and there the trail had ended. Sure she was likely to receive reports of a boken wielding idiot sooner or later, but she would prefer now. The information she needed would most likely be in Tatewaki's room somewhere (master of tact that he was it should be easy enough to find) but getting there with Kuno's moronic bodyguard and insane sister on the prowl proved to be difficult.  
  
"Damn it Ranma!" She murmured to herself. "Where the hell are you?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ranma-chan?"  
  
"Tohru-chan? How'd you find me?"  
  
Honda, happy to have found Ranma replied enthusiastically, "I know this area pretty well, I used to camp here, but I still wasn't sure I'd find you!"  
  
"Eh?!?" Demanded Ranma from the tree she'd been sleeping in. "Alone?!? " Honda not trusting herself to answer nodded affirmatively. "You shouldn't even be out here now! There's landshifts and animals and thugs and stuff! You coulda been seriously hurt!"  
  
Honda blushed in embarrassment. "But Ranma-chan you're..."  
  
"It's different with me! At least Yuki and Kyou had the sense to keep an eye on you." Added Ranma, absently tossing one of her shoes into a bush that rustled indignantly. Ranma rolled her eye's in exasperation. "You're so obvious Kyou!" Taking the other shoe she tossed it at another apparently unoffending tree where Yuki caught it. `Not a morning person.' Ranma thought wryly noting the dazed expression and black bags under his eyes.  
  
"Ehhh?!?!" Gulped Honda, having not realized she was followed. Her blush had reddened further as she hesitantly mumbled. "I brought you some breakfast."  
  
"I'm not hungry." Ranma replied resolutely. She didn't have any memory of the Neko-ken but the compromising position she'd been in when she woke up was enough to tell her it hadn't been good.  
  
"Groooooooowl." Ranma's stomach replied resolutely. It didn't have any memory of its last meal. A large sweat drop formed on Ranma's forehead. `Betrayed again.' She thought sadly.  
  
"Just eat the food already!" Yelled unoffending bush.  
  
"Shut-up, Neko-baka!" Despite the reprisal Ranma leapt down from her perch as Honda spread a blanket and set out the food picnic style. Ranma nearly wept at the sight of all the homemade food, the like of which he hadn't seen since leaving the Tendo's. Sitting cross legged on the ground next to Tohru she took a deep breathe before broaching the question that had bothered her since retreating the previous night. "Okay... what'd I do? How bad was it?" The blank stares around her forced her to explain. "Last thing I remember before waking up on Kyou was the baka himself `attacking' me in cat form... so spill it already... did I hurt anyone?"  
  
"No... not exactly..." Murmured Honda blushing again.  
  
"Hurt?!? Hurt doesn't begin to describe what you did!" Menaced Kyou, before adding in a mocking tone, "O!-Ka!-San!"  
  
Ranma backpedaled with large eyes, "O - o -okasan?"  
  
"Honda looking decidedly uncomfortable added, "It's true Ranma-chan! You started acting like a cat and kidnapped Kyou-kun and carried him up a tree in your mouth!"  
  
"My... my mouth?!?" Ranma grabbed up a cup of water and started to gargle. Spitting out she asked, "I just fell asleep right? Then you guys came, right? right?" She asked desperately.  
  
"Actually," replied Yuki emotionlessly, still a bit dazed from getting up early, "then you decided chibi-chan needed a bath."  
  
*********************************************  
  
"So... I guess she didn't take it too well?" Asked Shigure when Yuki and Kyou carried in Ranma-chan between them, placing the unconscious girl on the lounge. Honda hovering behind them carrying Ranma's shoe's. Yuki had promised to check the site later to find anything else that belonged to Ranma, but apart from the shoes Ranma had tossed and the clothes Ranma had left at the Sohma's the previous night, Honda could find nothing else. Honda had declared after Ranma had collapsed that she was staying since Ranma couldn't stay in such a place alone, Yuki suggest rather that Ranma stay in the main house if she wished, and since there was no opportunity for the unconscious girl to object they'd carried her back to the house.  
  
"We didn't have a chance to ask her, she had no memory of what happened and was a little suprised."  
  
"Ah." Shigure had had to inform Hatori for the safety of the Sohma, and the Doctor had shown a great deal of interest in not only the curse (Shigure admitted he still wasn't sure what the cursed form was, just that it had been locked with shiatsu) but also Ranma's cat transition, which Hatori had been rather suprised to hear called Neko-ken. Shigure found he liked the eccentric girl and it wouldn't be too bad to have another girl in the house for a while - especially since even if Ranma's memory were wiped they could still associate with her since she could not activate their curses.  
  
They had placed Ranma on a spare futon in Honda's room at the girl's insistence, and this was how Ranma woke for the second time that day, with a wet towel on her forehead.  
  
"Daijoubu Ranma-chan?"  
  
"Hai... " Honda smiled brightly causing Ranma to blush.  
  
"You're right Ranma, a girl shouldn't stay out in the woods alone."  
  
"Of course I'm right!" Exclaimed Ranma, unused to compliance. She felt a chill go up her spine as Honda continued to smile.  
  
"Which is why you can stay here from now on!"  
  
"Huh?" Honda grasped Ranma's hands in her own, tears welling in her eyes.  
  
"Ranma-chan. You have to stay! It's not safe for you to be alone, you could get sick or seriously hurt!" Ranma knew she had little hope of resisting those eyes, she couldn't stand to see a girl cry. "Shigure-san has said it's okay, and you can stay in my room with me and..."  
  
"WHAT?!? NO! Absolutely not!" Honda was surprised at the outburst. "I can't stay in the same room as a girl!"  
  
"???"  
  
"It wouldn't be proper!" Honda's eyes welled up with tears again on instinct, getting the desired result. "...Fine. If it makes you feel better I'll sleep outside or something so you know I'm okay." Ranma grudgingly admitted, causing Honda's face to light up again. `How do girl's do that?' Ranma wondered as Honda went from abject miserable to joy at a speed that put the tenshin amaguriken to shame.  
  
Once Honda had skipped out of the room to prepare breakfast Ranma flipped herself out the window and on the roof. Even at the Tendo's she had spent more time on the roof than in the house itself so she figured she might as well check it out. Fairly distracted by her new situation she didn't notice the roofs other occupant until she collided with him.  
  
"Ack! What're you doing up here?" Demanded Ranma.  
  
"Huh? This is my roof! If I wanna sit here then I will!" Exclaimed Kyou.  
  
"... You spend much time up here? What do ya do?" No one had ever asked Kyou what he did on the roof, which was probably just as well since he didn't do much of anything.  
  
"... Not much."  
  
"Good! Then I claim this half." Ranma pointed out an imaginary line separating the roof in two."  
  
"What? This is mine!"  
  
"You just said you don't do anything so you don't need it all!" Ranma pointedly squatted on the far side of the roof and ignored the fuming Kyou. Since he couldn't think of a reasonable excuse to throw her off (at least without inciting Honda's wrath) he settled back to his normal spot.  
  
"Argh! This isn't working!" Exclaimed Ranma jumping to her feet. "Your Ki is bothering me! I'll fight you for the whole roof!"  
  
"Pff. I don't fight giiiiirls." Drawled Kyou.  
  
"Then I guess I'll just have to kill ya!" Ranma mocked, cracking her knuckles loudly. Kyou perked up slightly as she released her battle aura. "And how many times do I have to tell ya I ain't a girl?" 


	5. 

"ARGHHHH!!! I ABSOLUTELY WILL BEAT YOU RANMA!!!!!!!!!!!!" Screamed Kyou for about the eighth time that week as Ranma and Kyou started their morning duel for dominance on the roof.   
Yuki was sitting at the kitchen table half asleep while Honda prepared breakfast and Shigure sorted through some mail. "I thought he didn't fight girls."  
"Kyou-kun has a very short memory... he also said he was only staying here to beat Yuki-kun." Shigure smiled wickedly, "Not feeling, jealous are we?" This sobered Yuki up immediately.  
"Eh?!? I'm glad that neko-baka has a new hobby!"  
Honda grimaced at a particularly loud crash outside - a few crashes and yelps later Ranma sauntered into the kitchen stretching. "Ohaaaaayooooo." She managed around a yawn before sitting at the table.  
"Ohh! Ranma-chan! There's a postcard for you!"  
Ranma froze. No one knew she was here. Who could possibly send her a card? Shakily she took the card and read;  
  
Ranma  
  
I will take you down to the depths of hell and free my love!  
  
The card was unsigned, and flipping it over to the picture side Ranma saw a stylized picture of a pig.   
"Nooooooooo!!!!" She yelped. It just had to be from Ryoga, sure he'd probably never find the way here himself but it was only a matter of time till the others found out. Ranma grudgingly admitted even though he was stuck as a girl the last week had been some of the happiest times of her life. She'd finally convinced Hana-chan to teach her about the denpa thing (which she suspected was a form of the shishihakodan - if not a counter for it), and more importantly the quiet girl had proven an incredible source of information when it came to snacks and the best places to get them. Uo-chan was teaching her how to humiliate boys. Ranma was incorporating Kyou's style into anything goes and finally dealing with her fear of cats (actually, it was more a matter of using Kyou to keep cats away with that weird ability of his to communicate with them, once all the cat in the area understood the situation they were quite happy to keep their distance) and Yuki had become an unwilling study in sleep-fu, as Ranma and Kyou would attempt to wake him every morning. Yuki had adamantly refused to fight Ranma, and Ranma respected this, after all she hadn't liked to fight girls as a he either.  
Additionally Sohma Hatori, who Shigure had sworn was an expert on curses was coming to visit so maybe even a cure was possible!   
"Ranma-chan...?" Asked Honda confused at the reaction, having not read the card herself. "Is something wrong?"   
"Eto... nothing... nothings wrong Honda-san... Ahah...haha..." Ranma stood up laughing maniacally. "Well! I have to go to school! Byebye!"   
"Ano.. she didn't eat yet..." Managed Honda. This had never happened before so she knew something was definitely wrong.  
Shigure picked up the discarded card, reading it quickly and stuffing it into the arm of his kimono. Kagure had reacted as predicted to the photo he had sent of neko-ranma and naked-kyou, but Ranma's reaction had been not quite what he'd expected...  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ranma hadn't actually told anyone her curse, always skirting around the edges of the subject, which, thankfully, the Sohma's and Honda seemed to accept. Ranma justified this to herself on the grounds that a boy/girl curse was probably rare enough in Japan for anyone to find out about her and even the smallest leak of such a thing would have Nabiki hot on her trail. In truth a larger part probably had more to do with Ranma's feeling she was a bit of a freak (another sentiment lost on the Sohma's) so she kept it to herself.  
Hana and Uo-chan watched their new friend in deep thought, Hana shivering at the feel of the energy around Ranma, not that you needed her abilities to see the sickly green aura. "Ran-chan..." Attempted Uo-chan.  
"Don't call me that!" Snapped the redhead. "One of my fiancées calls me that... I hate that name." It wasn't entirely true, she couldn't bring herself to hate her childhood friend - but she didn't love Ukyo and the girl's failure to understand made it difficult. Ranma's head dropped to the desk again, realizing what she'd revealed.  
"Fiancée?" Asked Uo-chan.  
"One of...?" Asked Hana-chan.  
"You're engaged?!?" Asked Motoko Takei.  
"How long have you been here?" Asked Uo-chan, her eye's narrowed dangerously. Needless to say Motoko found something interesting to do in the background again.  
"It was my pops fault and it's kinda a family honor thing that I go through with at least one of them... but I don' wanna!" Ranma looked incredibly cute as she finally made eye contact, her hands balled in tiny fists and her eye's welling with tears.   
"SO why didn't you just say no?"  
"It was easier to run away." Murmured Ranma, her face on the desk again.  
"..." Uo-chan was speechless. Hana-chan bit down on another ricecracker from a bag she'd produced at the start of the scene.  
"That's it! I just have to run away again!" Yelped Ranma euphorically, causing Hana to choke on a cracker at the sudden swing of emotions altered Ranma's waves drastically. Before either of the two could comment on this new plan by their emotionally simple friend the red head had leapt up from her seat and had the window open, before leaping out.  
"No! Ranma!" Yelped Uo-chan, thinking for a moment perhaps the girl had decided to 'jump' jump from the window, before seeing the girl jogging off into the distance, earning a sweatdrop from both Uo and Hana.  
  
Ranma headed back to the Sohma house with a grin on her face which soon melted when she remembered what she was leaving again. Even from this distance Hana-chan felt the emotion shift, 'baka' she murmured to herself absently. Ranma didn't have many possessions, but she had a little savings and a few things she'd brought with the pay from her job with Tohru. Once she'd convinced herself to look past the job as work and adapted it to a kata she'd found it quite enjoyable, much to the pleasure of the other workers as Ranma did most of the work in half the usual time.   
"Eh? Who's there?" Questioned Shigure, feeling the presence of someone in the house.   
"Gomen Sohma-san." Was the last thing he heard as a red blur laid a couple of shiatsu sleep points on him, effectively knocking him out for the count. Packing her things quickly she didn't bother to hide her movements as she left the house, presuming the others were at school by now.  
"Ranma-san." She jumped at the voice.  
"Sohma-san." She replied with equal formality, her voice unusually serious. Unconsciously shifting the rucksack on her back into a more secure position.  
"Leaving?" Ranma looked uncomfortably at her feet for a couple minutes.  
"Some people are coming for me and I don't want you guys to have to deal with that. It's better if I'm not here when they arrive." Subconsciously she extended her hand in preparation of jumping him with the shiatsu.  
"Fight me."  
"Huh?"  
"Fight me. If you win, you can leave." Ranma's eyes boggled. Personal honor meant never refusing a challenge, it also meant if she lost the fight she would have to stay until released - so it wasn't just a matter of sneaking out at night, even if it was to protect them. Honor, and the possibility of seeing Yuki's style, won out.  
"I accept your challenge." She replied, bowing slightly, and tossing the bag aside and taking up an attack stance. 


	6. 

i suck at fight scenes _ can anyone tell me if Akito has a curse? 


	7. 

"..and then she knocked me out and had her way with my bod..erk!"  
  
"DON'T ADD THINGS LIKE THAT!" Yelled Ranma, grabbing Shigure in a headlock. "I only used pressure points! Pressure points!" Hatori put a hand to his face and went back to Yuki, who seemed to be fine after all, just a little shocked. Seeing the shift in attention Ranma added defensively, "He coulda forfeited the fight."  
  
Hatori looked between Ranma who was apparently uninjured except for a slight bruise on her cheek which was already fading, and Yuki. "Are you sure you won?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"Hmpf. A lucky shot!" Ranma rubbed her cheek as if to prove the point, a motion which was counter productive since she was rubbing the wrong one. Momiji worked his way resolutely back towards Ranma's lap, when she glared at him he searched his pockets to produce more candy which she reluctantly took, allowing him to snuggle against her arm, a contented smile on his face.  
  
"Ano... dinner is ready.." interrupted Honda.  
  
Ranma jumped to her feet with shining eyes. "Yatta!"  
  
Hatori watched in wonder as Ranma easily balanced a half dozen plates of food easily, tossing them in an apparently haphazard fashion, where they skidded to a halt in front of the respective diners, nary a drop spilled. "Ranma-chan used to work in a restaurant!" Managed Honda. At his nod of acknowledgment she smiled obliviously.  
  
"I made the shalad toosh!" Ranma added around a mouthful of food, before upending her rice bowl into her mouth.  
  
"I'm so happy Ranma-chan likes my cooking so much!" Ranma just held out her bowl for more, while Kyou and Yuki held their bowls protectively close. Shigure was on the far side of the table. Ranma eyed them critically, there were openings enough but hardly worth the effort. Momiji was oblivious and while she might not have hesitated to steal food from a kid, Hatori's was closer. In an almost lazy movement she extended her chopsticks across to Hatori's rice bowl, which caught in his own. "AH! You got me!" She cried dramatically. "I'm so embarrassed!" She clutched her cheeks as if to cover a blush.  
  
Hatori amusedly looked back to his plate, only to find his fish missing. "Eh?"  
  
"Arghh!" Ranma managed, her cheeks bulging with the fish. "You." She said accusingly brandishing her empty-again bowl at Kyou who just smirked. "I am your enemy now!" She warned in honorific fashion, her battle aura flaring around her.  
  
"You're both too easily distracted." Interrupted Yuki who had since emptied both their plates.  
  
"Kyaa!!" Managed Ranma in a heartbroken way. She looked around the table and everyone else had finished too. She sat down at the table to sulk with Kyou. Hatori was suprised to see Yuki participate in such a childish game, and yet at the same time relieved to see him happy. He could swear he even saw him smile a couple times. Shortly Honda brought out some cake, pre-cut into equal slices. Ranma seeing she could no longer use conventional methods since the crowd was too wary, turned thoughtful a moment. She ate her own serve quickly to keep it from the vengeful Kyou, and then examined the situation. A real martial artist could overcome any situation she decided, either by strength, skill or wit. "Momiji-chan!" She cried, throwing her arms wide. As expected the younger boy jumped into her arms and she consumed his cake too. Shigure was openly weeping when he realized he'd already eaten his. Honda was still eating obliviously, but Ranma would never steal... er.. re-acquisition food from her. She met Hatori's eyes and held them in a glare for several minutes, his fork mere inches from his plate. He could feel a large sweat drop rolling down the back of his head at the intense scrutiny.  
  
"I have a high metabolism."  
  
Wordlessly he slid the plate across to her and she gulped it down too. "Ah!!" She patted her stomach contentedly and with a belch jumped up to help Honda with the dishes. "Please excuse me."  
  
"I'm suprised she can still move with that much food in her." Hatori commented once he was sure she was out of earshot.  
  
"Ah...it's cute for a girl to have a healthy appetite, Ha-san." Shigure.  
  
  
  
"It's special training. Speed and coordination." Explained Ranma, extending her first in a few light punches in the air at a speed Hatori hadn't seen before. "Everything is training."  
  
"Hai!" Put in Honda. "Ranma can mop a floor faster than anyone I've even seen!" Ranma just sweatdropped at Honda's statement referring to their part-time job.  
  
"You take the martial arts very seriously?"  
  
"The art is my life!" She declared standing excitedly.  
  
'My god, she's a female version of Kyou.' Hatori thought absently. 'Right down to the red hair.'  
  
***  
  
"The neko-ken training?" Ranma's face dropped immediately and she hugged herself defensively.  
  
"Was my pop's idea." She shivered uncontrollably. "I was only a kid at the time." Hatori nodded. Judging from the girl's reaction what he'd read was probably true. Akito was most interested in this girl since she seemed to not activate the curses, and had given him permission to help her if he was able. Living with the Sohma's he had more than his share of experience when it came to psychological traumas.  
  
"What is the neko-ken training exactly?" Asked Kyou with his normal tact.  
  
"Hmm.." Ranma contemplated this momentarily, trying to choose the words as best she could. "Well, you dig a pit and fill it up with cats, starve them for a few days, then you wrap the trainee in fish cakes and toss them in." She scratched her chin thoughtfully, "I guess it wouldn't have been too bad," she continued, not noticing the appalled looks around her, "but it didn't take straight away, so then he tried fish sausage." Honda had started to tear up at this point. "dried fish, sardines... uhmo... bonito flakes, fish dumplings... aw I forget the rest...."  
  
"Di... didn't your mother try to stop him?" Asked Honda shakily.  
  
"My mom wasn't with us, we were on a training trip... she probably still doesn't know..."  
  
"... when was the last time you saw her?" Ranma shrugged uncomfortably.  
  
"I dunno.. eleven, twelve years ago... I might like to see her but in my current state she might make me commit seppuku." Ranma rubbed her hand on the back of her head nervously with her eye's squeezed shut. "Haha! I guess you all think I'm a bit of a coward for running away and all..." She peeked out one eye nervously when no one commented.  
  
"Ranma-chan..." Murmured Honda trying to be strong, "Ranma-chan I had no idea your life was so bad before you come here!" Hatori looked concerned too but for a different reason. If the girl had been physically or emotionally weak Akito could have had no claim on her. Ailurophobia and perhaps a little social misconduct were easy enough to deal with. His research had shown Jusenkyo curses were non-transferable. This one would inevitably become a tool. Pushing the thought aside he concentrated on the room again.  
  
"Ranma-chan has incredible strength!" Continued Honda, clutching a furiously blushing Ranma's hands to her chest and staring into her eyes. "I want to have strength like that too!"  
  
"So Ranma-mei is scared of cats now?" Asked Momiji.  
  
"Ehhh?!? When did you get so close?!?" Ranma demanded, prying Momiji off her chest again, wondering if the boy had any amazon ancestry. "I'm not scared... I just don't like 'em very much." She added defiantly.  
  
At this Shigure produced a photo album from under his Kimono, labeled 'Precious Memories'.  
  
"De... lets see... " He flipped through a few pages including one with Yuki in a dress which caused a blush form that department, several of Kyou getting beaten by Yuki, even more of people in various states of undress.. before coming to the page he was after, "Ah! Here!" The others crowded around to look.  
  
"Ano.. Shigure-san..." Asked Ranma suspiciously, "Do you have hidden camera's in all the rooms?"  
  
"Security camera's, Ranma-chan, Security cameras."  
  
"Ehh..."  
  
"Oh look! Here you are not liking Kyou, and look at this expression of absolute not-like as you lose control of your mental facilities and become a cat... oh and here you are carrying Kyou, and look! this one's much later when Kyou wasn't a cat anymore!" He finished pointing at the photo of Neko-Ranma on Naked-Kyou.  
  
"...You know I despise you." Ranma managed calmly, seething at the indignity of the shots and Shigure's attempt at humor.  
  
"I'm so hurt... and I only wanted to preserve these kodak moments..." The album quickly disappeared under the kimono again, to the chagrin of the others who would have dearly liked to see it destroyed.  
  
"Ah so maybe I am scared a little... as long as I stay away from cats it's fine!" Four very dark and wary expressions were directed at the oblivious red head.   
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	8. 26/02

"EYAGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranma's scream didn't just break the silence of the early hour, it shattered it.  
  
"Ranma-chan!" Yelped Honda, waking fretfully, pausing only to pull on her slippers before dashing out to see if there was trouble. Kyou, Yuki and Shigure were more than familiar with late/night early morning screams, as Honda was... well to put it lightly , a 'little' clumsy. It was a rare night indeed when Honda-san didn't trip, fall out of bed, or find out the awkward way that the toilet seat had been left up. Grudgingly they too pulled themselves out of sleep to check on the latest situation (only one of them hoping it was the latter. Hatori who had been sleeping in Kyou's room (Kyou sleeping on the lounge in the common room, since Honda lived in what was formerly the guest room) was also awakened by the scream sleepily checked Momiji.  
  
*tap tap*  
  
"Eh?"  
  
*tap tap*  
  
"Hatori-sensei?" A whispered voice from the window. It never occurred to Hatori to wonder how some one could be whispering at a second story window, given his brain was still in REM mode. "You're a doctor, ne? It's important!"  
  
"Hnn...?" Hatori opened the window sleepily, and the pigtailed girl flipped inside. She paced the room a few turns determinedly, before squaring her feet and turning to face him seriously.  
  
"I've... I've got an injury."  
  
"Ranma-chan is hurt?!?" Momiji demanded, tears welling in his eyes. Wordlessly she picked up the boy, futon and all and deposited him outside the door. Honda who was looking for Ranma looked at the boy askance. He just shrugged and went back to sleep happily. Honda, unsure what to do, continued to stand in the door, debating the evil's of eavesdropping in her head.  
  
"Hoe!" Commented Shigure arriving on the scene, noting the confused Honda and evicted Momiji. "I didn't think Ranma-chan moved that fast!"  
  
"Eto.. Ranma moves very fast!" Commented Honda, misunderstanding the ecchi comment as usual.  
  
"As I was saying..." Prompted Ranma to herself, a pained expression on her face. "I seem to be bleeding internally." She managed in an unemotional voice.  
  
Hatori could see the girl was on the verge of shock, her voice was trembling and tears were starting to streak down her cheeks. Putting on his 'concerned and caring doctor' face, he prompted the girl to continue. Seeing she finally had the doctor's attention, Ranma took a deep breath to add the piece-de-resistance. "Down there." She pointed.  
  
Hatori could have slapped himself. Wordlessly he sat the girl on the bed before opening the door and stepping out of the room. He took the confused looking Honda by the shoulders and pushed her into the open room before closing the door behind him, stepping over the sleeping Momiji and passed the stunned onlookers, and heading away to find somewhere to sleep.  
  
************************************************  
  
"Ohhh... I see, I see...." Ranma finally consented after her three-hour tutorial with Honda, who had had to fetch Hatori twice to explain some of the finer points. "That's so gross!" Honda sweatdropped.  
  
"I'm suprised you didn't know this already Ranma-san." Commented Hatori.  
  
"Um.. maybe because Ranma-chan was raised by her father?" Suggested Honda.  
  
"Haha... yeah, I guess so..." 'Not'. thought Ranma – maybe 'he' wasn't the most attentive student, but none of this had ever been covered in the boy's health classes. "Sooo... how longs this thing gonna last? Two, three more hours?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Three to four days?!?" She sighed. I can handle that I guess.  
  
"..."  
  
"Every month? No way!! No way no way!!" The Sohma household was woken for the second time that night.  
  
******  
  
Kyou and Shigure sat around the meal table in Yuki's usual brekfast condition, while Yuki himself had moved up to the next level and was sleeping a few feet away when Honda, Hatori and Ranma reappeared. On inspection Honda was blushing but smiling, Ranma would scowl at anyone who made eye contact and Hatori was... well Hatori, that is to say looking devoid of any emotion whatsoever.  
  
"Well whatsa matter with you?" Asked Kyou.  
  
"Nothin." She snapped slumping to the floor and crossing her arms across her chest defensively, trying to look as unapproachable as possible (which ended up just looking cute on girl-type ranma).  
  
Honda had exited to prepare breakfast so all eye's turned toward Hatori who just shrugged in response. "Doctor-Patient confidentiality."  
  
Shigure's eyes flitted from one to the other before he slumped back into a sitting position, convinced he'd get nothing out of either, when an evil glint appeared in his eyes.  
  
"I doubt Honda-san will tell you either." Commented Yuki who had apparently decided to return to the world of the living for a few minutes. Shigure's high spirits faltered again.  
  
Shortly Honda reappeared with breakfast. Placing out the normal food before serving Ranma a plate of red beans arranged like a Japanese flag on rice.  
  
"My little Ranma-chan has become a woman!" Declared Shigure, flipping out a couple of white fans which flipped open to reveal the rising sun. He managed about three steps of a victory dance before Ranma punted him through the roof with an uppercut.  
  
"Hey!" Yelped Kyou pointing an accusing finger at Ranma who averted her eye's shamefully. "How come she gets natto and I don't?"  
  
"Baka-Neko." 


	9. 27/02

^_^ I disagree! Ranma is not trapped in his girl form true, but effectively cannot change back due to the extreme pain of touching water hot enough to trigger it – being in his girl form for so many consecutive days there's no reason Ranma's body (which I presume is now genetically female) wouldn't start physically acting like one (in my opinion... but I love you Takahashi- sama so please consider this a minor lovers tiff :-D (and anyway it's a minor plot device for something else I planned... : this is now the longest fic I ever wrote! )  
  
  
  
"YOU BASTARD!! YOU UTTER UTTER BASTARD!!" Screeched Ranma menacingly from behind the chimney where she was cowering in fear. Ranma had proven to be incredibly difficult when it came to living in the house rather than on it.  
  
"Mou... you're not 'scared' are you?" Taunted Kyou, holding a fluffy gray kitten up to his face and rubbing it against his cheek.  
  
"ARGHHH!!! YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS INDIGNITY!!" She declared, despite her words staying on the far side of the roof. To some unspoken command the cats staked out the edges of the roof militant style.  
  
"EYAGHHHH!!!" She leapt off the roof and ran into the house, presumably to tell Honda he was picking on her. Kyou just smirked to himself, since this was Honda's idea to begin with. If everything went according to plan Honda would convince the other girl that sleeping outdoors during a hurricane was plain lunacy and then they'd set up a futon in Honda's room and everything would be fine. Well that was the plan anyway. He waited about an hour before dismissing the cats to go their own ways and went over to the side of the house his room was on, leaning down to open the window he found it locked. The window was never locked. A note was pinned on the inside of the window with a single word on it. 'Revenge'.  
  
"What?!" He peered into the dimly lit room. Ranma was asleep sprawled across his bed. Absently he noted she slept in mens boxers and a singlet before trying the window again. Yup. Definitely locked. It didn't occur to him the ruthless verbal assault he might receive from Shigure for the rest of his life if he tried to break into a room with a sleeping girl, it did however occur that Shigure would be less than impressed if he broke a window. SO he leapt from the roof and tried the front door, which was opened by an embarrassed looking Honda.  
  
"Gomen nasai." She bowed apologetically. "Gomenasai! Gomenasai!"  
  
"Honda-saaaan!" Interrupted Shigure with a smirk. "You know Ranma-sama told us we aren't allowed to let him back in the house." Honda turned a brighter shade of pink.  
  
"Iee! The hurricane!" She pointed out defensively. "Kyou-san I set up a futon in the lounge room for you. Umo... if you'd rather you can sleep in my room and I'll sleep down here..." Honda managed, while Kyou's left eyebrow twitched as he fought to control his outrage. Apparently losing the fight he slumped over to the futon and fell asleep.  
  
"He really is like a child." Commented Yuki, seeing as there'd be no more developments in the situation till the morning, the others retired for the night.  
  
  
  
Kagure Sohma looked down at her love with tears of joy running down her cheeks. "My love! At long last we are reunited!" She reached down to brush the red bangs out of his face, when a hand darted out from beneath the blanket to absently brushed her away (one doesn't study sleep-fu for close to a week without learning something). This slight was obviously enough to set Kagure from hyper-love-love to hyper-kill-kill mode. "Kyou-chaaaaan!!!" She screamed jumping at the sleeping form in a flying kick...  
  
"...? Aw!! Who the hell threw a pig at me?!?" Demanded Ranma into the night having been awoken by something impacting against her chest. At first her mind had screamed 'Ryoga!' but this pig was bigger and one of the wild types. Picking up the dazed pig by one leg she slung it over her shoulder before leaving the bedroom to demand some answers.  
  
Kyou it seemed couldn't stop snickering as Ranma swung the unconscious pig around glaring at the house assembly. "It was you, wasn't it?" She queried, her eyes closed dangerously to slits.  
  
"Ano....." Honda interrupted with a worried expression. The pig it seemed had awoken and started struggling wildly. Ranma absently bopped it on the head and making sure it was unconscious tossed it on the couch, which Kyou rapidly vacated. "That is..." But Honda's intended explanation came too late as Kagure returned to her normal form (which in the typical Sohma fashion was naked).  
  
"Aw man! How many of you guys are there!" She demanded of the ceiling keeping her eye's averted. "I'm going back to bed."  
  
*****************************************  
  
"Oh! So you sent that postcard?!" Exclaimed Ranma happily while shoveling some rice into her mouth. Kagure just looked on speechlessly, an icepack on her forehead. Kyou came in and sat at the table between Shigure and Ranma, however after an evil look form Kagure he scooted down to sit next to Honda. "Haha! And I got all paranoid 'cos I thought it was about one of my fiancées!" Grinning she downed some more rice.  
  
"Fiancée?" Murmured Kagure, life returning to her face. She had had quite the shock when she found out Kyou had some strange girl sleeping in his bed.  
  
"Ranma-chan is engaged?" Yelped Honda happily, grabbing Ranma's hands in her own happily.  
  
"Gyeh!" Ranma shook Honda off, having revealed too much information... "Er... that is I was engaged... but since they were kinda arranged marriages I don't have to go through with it now I renounced my family name and all...right?" She asked, unsure on the legality.  
  
"Ranma-chan doesn't have to marry anyone she doesn't love!" Declared Honda, appalled that arranged marriages even existed.  
  
"No! No!" Yelped Kagure desperately. "What about family honor! Eh?!"  
  
"You're right Tohru-chan!" Replied Ranma with selective hearing on the matter, completely omitting Kagure's comment.  
  
"So what was your fiancée like, Ranma-chan?" Asked Shigure, getting a glare for his use of the informal.  
  
"Weeeell... the first two were arranged by my dad, one was waaaay to violent and couldn't cook... the second one... I can only really think of as a friend, and the third one I won in a martial arts tournament." Ranma finished distastefully.  
  
"Th... three...?" Asked Honda wide-eyed.  
  
Ranma shrugged. "Maybe more, they're just the one's I know about."  
  
"..."  
  
"Well I know I'm quite the catch and all..." added Ranma, "but some people are way to pushy."  
  
"You require your husband be able to cook?" Asked Shigure innocently. Ranma gulped down her rice anxiously.  
  
"Er.. yeah, so?"  
  
"Hnn Hnn." Honda nodded in agreement. "A husband should be willing to help with housework." Yuki, Kyou and Shigure facefaulted at this shift in alignment on Honda's part, whom had insisted and forcefully taken oven the housework since moving in.  
  
"She's corrupted Honda-san!" Sniffled Shigure miserably.  
  
"Ranma-san?" Asked Yuki absently as they were leaving the house for school. "Why did Kagure change when she hug... er attacked you?"  
  
"Curses! Curses!" Ranma waved him off and kept walking. 


	10. 27/02-2

"Ooooh... so I wonder what Kagure was planning to do if she found you in bed instead of me?" Ranma teased mercilessly on the way to school.  
  
"Nu... Nothing!" Stammered Kyou turning a bright red.  
  
"Nothing? At 3am..?"  
  
"Shut up you!"  
  
"Make me!"  
  
"Arghhh!!" Kyou turned about so he wouldn't have to look at Ranma grinning like an idiot.  
  
"Ano... Kagure-san invited Kyou-kun and Yuki-san and myself on a date for Valentines Day." Beamed Honda happily.  
  
"It's Valentines Day?"  
  
'Deja vu.' Thought Yuki. "Not today, Monday." Corrected Yuki.  
  
"Ohh.."  
  
Honda was uncharacteristically silent on the matter (which generally indicated deep thought). Ranma had no one to spend Valentines Day with. She started to tear up just thinking about it. Poor Ranma must be crying in side.  
  
"Man! I feel sorry for you! I'm glad I don't have to go through with any of that mushy stuff!"  
  
'So brave... so very brave...' thought Honda, the tears coming freely now. Ranma-chan... Ranma-chan was such a good actress... sacrificing herself so the others wouldn't feel bad about going out. "Ranma-chan.. is it really okay?" Begged Honda.  
  
"Hai! Hai!"  
  
"... You realize you will be staying in the house. Alone. With Shigure. On what is considered the most romantic day of the year?"  
  
"KYAAA!!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!"  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Valentines Day may have not been until Monday, but many of the girl's had brought chocolates for their intended's already, in an attempt to jump the gun on their rivals or procure dates for the Sunday. Honda had already explained how the girl's gave chocolates to their friends the day after valentines. And that is why Ranma was a little confused to find a cluster of chocolate hearts in her own locker.  
  
"Hey! I got chocolate!" She crowed delighted.  
  
"But you're a girl!" Complained Kyou.  
  
Honda turned a bright shade of red. "Eto... this happened to Uo-chan once. She has many admirers that are girls also." Finished Honda awkwardly.  
  
"Eh?!? Well.. Uo-chan is pretty cool..." Muttered Ranma lamely. That would make sense. Lots of the junior girl's worshiped Uotani's direct mannerisms and cool style.  
  
"Or maybe one of the girl's mistook you for a boy since you act like one!" Jeered Kyou, getting a nasty look from Ranma. Of course the whole conversation was meaningless since some one had just mistakenly placed the chocolate in the wrong cubicle.  
  
"Hey! I can act like a girl if I wanna!" She yelled defensively.  
  
"Yeah right!" Sniffed Kyou disdainfully. You don't even dress like a proper girl!" Ranma had gotten permission to wear slacks with her uniform rather than the normal skirt since half the male population in her class had had to be hospitalized with nosebleeds after she'd snapped off a head high kick to get her point across to an over amorous upper classman.  
  
***********************  
  
"Hana-chan.. Uochan..." Moped Ranma, her depressed aura showing a visible green.  
  
"Ra.. ranma-san has mastered Denpa..." Murmured Hana-chan.  
  
"Am I... am I..."  
  
"Hai?" They prompted in unison.  
  
"Am I... a tomboy?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Ranma pulled out the big guns, and cutely stirred her iced-tea with a swizzle stick while pulling puppy dog eyes.  
  
Silence.  
  
Ranma could feel a blood vessel about to burst in her forehead tried again. She piku-piku'd innocently and pouted slightly.  
  
No effect.  
  
"Noooo!!! It's true!!!"  
  
"Ano... Ranma-chan is Ranma-chan..." Offered Honda only to be cut short by Ranma's hand in a halting position.  
  
"This is... this is a challenge!" She declared. I'll show him I can be a girl!" During Ranma's peal of maniacal laughter Hana-chan and Uo-chan decided to make themselves scarce. "Honda-sempai!" Pleaded Ranma. "Please help!"  
  
******************************************************  
  
"You set Ranma-chan up on a date." Questioned Shigure, a single eyebrow raised askance.  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"For Valentines Day."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"With Haru."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"But why?" He asked, genuinely interested in Honda's reasoning.  
  
"Ano... Momiji is sick." Finished Honda weakly. Shigure facefaulted. Of course, this was an ideal photo opportunity... now where did he leave that telescopic lens...? Unfortunately the wicked gleam in his eyes was not lost on Yuki and Kyou.  
  
"I personally have destroyed all the film in the house." Kyou interrupted his line of thought.  
  
"I've hidden your camera and spy gear." Finished Yuki.  
  
"Gyeh! How did you know?" If Yuki had hidden it, it would remain hidden, cursed Shigure mentally.  
  
Shigure smirked to himself after the others had retired for the night, pulling a disposable camera from beneath his kimono and stroking it benevolently. 


	11. 28/02

"With this... with this I shall be invincible!" Cackled Ranma as she rummaged through a collection of shoujo manga she'd stolen from Shigure's not-so-secret-anymore stash.  
  
  
*********************************************************************************************  
okay... I have officially come to the conclusion that nobody has complained about characters being ooc, because nobody has seen Fruits Basket (which I can live with... haven't seen it myself... nothing wrong with ooc... its the lifeblood of fanfic) so here's a little summary of the characters and a couple links;  
  
The curses  
  
Kyou - Cat  
  
Yuki – Rat  
  
Haru = Cow  
  
Momiji = Rabbit  
  
Hatori = Seahorse (dragon)  
  
Aya = Snake  
  
Kagura = Pig  
  
Shigure = Dog  
  
There is also a sheep, tiger, Rooster, Monkey and Horse, but I am unfamiliar with these characters yet  
  
This web site is a great quick reference guide  
  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Blossom/7370/fb.html  
  
This one has more in-depth info on the characters and scanlations!  
  
http://furuba.topcities.com/  
  
Be sure to sign their guestbook if you visit (I don't know 'em but it seems to be the polite thing to do)  
  
P.S I was born in the year of the snake ^_^  
  
'Shintaori Nagisa' is from 'I'll make a habit of it/ Chou Kuseni Narisou a story about an idol that cross-dresses as a boy to attend a public school. She is also a martial artist. here is a picture to get the general idea... http://konekostudios.tripod.com/I_ll_Make_a_Habit_of_It/I_ll_Make_a_Habit_of _it.jpg  
  
  
**************************************************************************************************************  
  
  
"Well? What do you think?" Asked Ranma modeling a short red dress.  
  
"Ranma-chan made this?" Asked Honda in awe. "In one night?"  
  
"Yeah yeah." Ranma waved off the compliment. "Do I look like her?" Ranma shoved the manga toward Honda desperately.  
  
"Shiratoari Nagisa?"  
  
"Yeah I thought she was kinda cute!" Beamed Ranma, pulling her hair into twin ponytails.  
  
"Ranma-chan, did you read this Manga or just look at the pictures?"  
  
"Ano..... of course I read it!" Ranma lied. "I look cute right?"  
  
"Hai! Hai!" Replied Honda sweatdropping. Yuki, Kyou and Shigure wordlessly met Honda at the kitchen table where she was nervously trying to appear busy reading a newspaper. She wasn't used to just sitting around having nothing to do. Shigure wordlessly extracted the paper from her.  
  
"Ano... I think this is a very bad thing." She accused Kyou, keeping her eyes downcast.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Ranma-chan... Ranma-chan wa...." Honda had started fidgeting again.  
  
"Ohaaaaaaayo!" Ranma chimed coming out of the kitchen and serving up breakfast. Which wasn't that extraordinary in its self since Ranma often helped Honda with cooking. What was noteworthy was Ranma-chan giggling girlishly as she placed out plates of crepes.  
  
"Sugoi!" Commented Honda, a little suprised at how well the dish had turned out as Ranma opted to cook over a fire in the backyard rather than using the conventional stove. "Itadakimasu!" Yuki, Shigure and Kyou still had their mouths hanging open in suprise at the redhead who had removed the frilly pink apron and sat demurely at the table with them.  
  
"Ano.." She clutched her cheeks, feigning a blush, before passing homemade chocolate hearts to both Yuki and Shigure. "Please accept these."  
  
"What about me?" Demanded Kyou.  
  
"Girls are only meant to give chocolates on Valentines Day to boys they like!" Replied Ranma with a malicious grin.  
  
Kyou hmpfed before pointing at the crepe. "What is this?"  
  
"Ara... I made crepe's for breakfast, I put different fillings in everybody's with what I know they like."  
  
"Oishiiiii!" Commented Honda happily around a mouthful of strawberry filling.  
  
'She wouldn't.' Thought Kyou desperately, sweat running down his face as the others commented on how good it tasted.  
  
"...and since Tohru-chan told me how much you like leeks...."  
  
"Ah! I meant to say anything but leek!" Yelped Honda standing hastily at the table.  
  
"Eh...? Oh... my bad! Hahaha!" Laughed Ranma with a patently evil grin on her face. "Gomenasai Kyou-kun!" She added for good effect, the malevolent gleam in her eye's betraying the sentiment.  
  
  
**************************************************************************************************  
  
  
"Kyou-kun." Begged Honda awkwardly in a whisper. "Please just apologize to Ranma-chan!" Kagure had decided they'd go to a carnival that was on especially for Valentines Day, since the advertisement had declared it the perfect affair for young lovers.  
  
"Scary." Mumbled Yuki as Ranma-chan dragged Haru off to win her a cute, widdle, fwuffy, bear. She chided the boy, who had thankfully stayed white Haru through the ordeal, when he missed the target at the ringtoss, before taking up the rings herself and throwing them shiriken style where they snagged the points she wanted. When the man handed her a large stuffed cat, she looked at it disdainfully before she obviously decided she had use for it. Prancing back to the others she squeezed it tightly.  
  
"Isn't it sooooooooooo cute! See what Haru won for me!" She squeezed it in a tight hug again until the seams split. "Ah!" Kyou by this stage was visibly sweating. "Toys just aren't made well nowadays." Without looking she tossed the bedraggled remains of the cat over her shoulder where it landed a rimshot on a nearby garbage can. "Let's eat!" She declared.  
  
Honda could only sigh as Ranma 'cutely' and 'accidentally' abused Kyou through the lunch. Honda had tried to reason with Ranma, who had resolutely refused to a cease-fire until Kyou admitted she wasn't a tomboy. Even if she was, admitted Ranma, he didn't have to say it. When Honda had pointed out that Yuki had also called Ranma a tomboy, Ranma had just shrugged and said that was different. Yuki was just stating the obvious, Kyou had practically issued a challenge. Ranma's logic evaded Honda, but since Kyou seemed to understand it when he gave an almost identical reasoning for not apologizing, Honda could only presume it was her own lack that meant she couldn't understand it. Honda looked swirly eyed at Kagure, who had kept unusually quiet the whole time.  
  
"Kagure-san?"  
  
"H... Hai...?"  
  
"Is it really okay...?" Honda didn't have to say what 'it' was.  
  
"..." Kagure thought to herself. Tried to put together the words. "I tried to be like that." She gestured vaguely. "To be that kind of person that attracts Kyou's attention. But Ranma-san is that type of person without trying." Kagure could feel a tear slipping down her cheek.  
  
"Kagure..." Honda felt it all click inside her mind... the insane appearing bouts of violence... the overt possessiveness...  
  
"It's okay, Honda-san. I already knew Kyou didn't love me... I thought I could make him love me, but I guess it's not enough. Please don't say anything to Ranma-san or Kyou-kun." Begged Kagure, smiling again. "It's a relief really!" Kagure smiled again, a smile Honda hadn't seen before, as if a great weight had been lifted from the older girl's shoulders. "I feel like I might cry, because Kyou was my first love but I know it will be alright... it's so silly." Kagure wiped away another tear. "I... I think I will go now Honda-san, will you cover for me?"  
  
"O..of course!" Managed Honda as Kagure stood and departed the table.  
  
"Did she forget I am still here?" Asked Yuki absently.  
  
"Sohma-kun is very easy to overlook and blends into the background well." Honda replied dazedly, deep in thought over the matter. Her jaw hit the table with an audible thud when she realized what she had said. "Ah! Gomen! Gomen!"  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
  
"You... you win..." Kyou managed.  
  
"Baka-neko! Couldn't you have just admitted defeat from the start and saved your pride?" Chided Yuki.  
  
"Shut up!" Barked Kyou before gritting his teeth. "You'renottatomboy."  
  
"Yatta!" Yelped Ranma, punching the air for emphasis. As luck/nature/fate would have it, a gust of wind chose that moment to blow Ranma's skirt up.  
  
"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!" Laughed Kyou maniacally, pointing at Ranma's boxers. "MENS UNDERWEAR! TOMBOY!"  
  
"...I hate you."  
  
*****************  
  
"Ano... has anyone seen Haru-san?" 


	12. 02-03

"Er... can I help you?" Asked Shigure of the moody stranger sitting on the doorstep. Operation date-o capture had quickly degenerated into a search party to find the missing Haru, so Shigure had opted to return home, satisfied with a couple panty/boxer shots.  
  
"I am seeking my beloved, perchance peasant you have seen her?" Kuno promptly held out a photograph of his pig-tailed goddess – sans shirt.  
  
"Must... have... photo..."  
  
"Truly.. so beautiful... so... so... healthy..." Kuno panted over the photograph.  
  
"Hnn hnn.." Shigure nodded in agreement when Kuno produced more photos to ogle. 'Stalker.' thought Shigure, given the candid nature of the photos. "She'll be home soon!" He chirped happily.  
  
"I... I have found her at last...? Truly?" Exclaimed Kuno in an overt display of emotion, tears streaming down his face. "Surely the gods have smiled on the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High this day!"   
  
Sweatdrop.  
  
*************************************************  
  
"Tadaimaaaa!" Shigure absently noticed the familiar cry, but couldn't move from where he was frozen in battle with Kuno, their battle aura's effectively paralyzing each other.  
  
"Must... have... photo..." Shigure forced through gritted teeth.  
  
At the doorway to the house Ranma held a hand up to her companions to halt them. "This... this aura... I've felt it before... so... so..."  
  
"Eh? What is it? An enemy?"  
  
"So... lecherous! Tohru! Stay out here!" Instructed Ranma going into a battle stance and edging around the doorframe. "It couldn't be..."  
  
"Pig tailed one!" Declared Kuno triumphantly pouncing at her, the forgotten photographs swept into Shigure's dimensionally transcendental kimono.  
  
"Eyah!" Ranma sent Kuno through the roof with an uppercut.  
  
"What was that all about?" Asked Yuki, leading Honda through the doorway now the apparent threat was gone.  
  
"One of Ranma's fiancées dropped by to check on her."  
  
"He wishes!" Replied Ranma. "I gotta change outta this stupid thing." She added tugging on the hem of her dress. "I'm never ever wearing a skirt again."  
  
"Ohh.." Complained Shigure, disappointed. "What happened to the challenge between you and Kyou?  
  
"I won, so now I don't gotta act like a girl no more!" Cheered Ranma.  
  
"Whaaaat?!!? You did not win!" Exclaimed Kyou. "The underwear!"  
  
"Feh! I won from the moment you declared defeat!"  
  
"No way! No way were you a convincing girl dressed like that!"  
  
"Foul Varland! Who art thou that addressed my fair pig-tailed goddess with such familiarity?" Demanded Kuno making a suprisingly fast comeback. "But is it not customary to give one's own name first? Them give it I shall!"  
  
"Yeah yeah! Whatever!" interrupted Ranma rolling her eyes. "Yuki, Tohru, Kyou, this is that idiot Kuno I warned you about."  
  
"She has... she has already shared tales of our love with you!"  
  
"His head is particularly think." Ranma bopped Kuno n the head which had no visible effect other than to raise a small bump. "So either go for a body shot or multiple head blows in succession." She instructed, giving a brief demonstration of the Kachu Tenshin Amiguriken.  
  
"...I think he may have enjoyed that." Commented Shigure examining the unconscious form of Kuno that was grinning stupidly.  
  
"Well I sure did." Ranma stretched and yawned.  
  
"What should I do with the body?" Asked Shigure.  
  
Ranma just shrugged. "Dump it outside I guess."  
  
"Demo... the weather..." Suggested Honda.  
  
"He'll probably wake up in a few hours." Honda frowned. "He's suprisingly hardy." Frown. "Alright already! But if he molests anyone in their sleep it's not my fault!" Sweatdrop. "I mean it! Don't underestimate this guy! Tohru-chan, make sure you lock your door!" Ranma seemed to contemplate something for a minute. "You too Yuki."  
  
"!"  
  
"Whaaat?!? He's stupid, it's dark... you look kinda girly... I won't be held responsible!" She declared. Kyou had started laughing to himself. "There's nothing wrong with looking like a girl!" Screamed Ranma punching him in the gut, effectively silencing him. "...I'm goin' to bed, I'll deal with 'him' in the morning."  
  
"Good! That's decided then." Nodded Shigure. "Kuno can sleep down here with Kyou."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Well it wouldn't be safe for the girls if he slept upstairs." Grinned Shigure receiving a dirty glare from Yuki – who refrained from any further reprisal since it was only logical for the 'guest' to stay there.  
  
"Arigato Kyou-kun!" Added Honda who was already setting out the bedding before the decision was made.  
  
"Hmpf. Whatever."  
  
  
  
"My... my love! She sleeps over yonder! Truly is any man more blessed by the gods?" Whispered Kuno to himself, having awoken from his enforced slumber. "Do I dare disturb her...? So beautiful in sleep... so innocent.."  
  
"Shut up baka, I'm tryin' to sleep!"  
  
Kuno piku-piku'd. "'Tis not the melodious voice of my love...?" Kuno's small brain went into overload with this information. "But of course! Mine own sister's voice is not itself when woken in the wee hour's of the morn, and as the pig-tailed girl is also of the fairer sex, 'tis expected no less!" One braincell slapped the other two for what they considered a 'courageous' leap in logic, before being overpowered. "Come to my arm's my love!"  
  
"EYAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Huh. I knew I forgot to warn somebody." Murmured Ranma to herself, rolling over in bed and falling back asleep. 


	13. 02/03-2

"Consider it payback for that night with Kagure." Replied Ranma, watching the bathroom mirror as she practiced a few select expressions.  
  
"!!!!"  
  
"I did say I wouldn't be held responsible."  
  
"!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"I did warn you he wasn't very quick on the uptake."  
  
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Don't worry I'll take care of it!"  
  
****  
  
  
  
"You! What have you done with my pig-tailed goddess?" Demanded Kuno when Kyou entered the kitchen.  
  
"Kuno-sempai!" Chided Ranma. "It wouldn't have been proper for a lady to be sleepin in the same room as a man so I left.. er my brother to see you'd be alright after you 'accidentally' knocked your head."  
  
Kuno tilted his head for a moment as his brain processed this. Truly this boy and his love looked nothing alike in the light except for a similarity in hair colour, but then his own sibling was no rival for his own good looks, and also shared his hair colour. "'Tis true mine own sister is quite homely despite my magnificence, and yet we share the same hair colour also..." He mused aloud. Ranma sweatdropped, thinking the two were identical. "This boy?" He pointed to Yuki.  
  
"Cousin." Kuno let his gaze linger a little. "Er... first cousin?" Kuno nodded accepting this, first cousin making him unable to marry.  
  
"And him?" Kuno asked pointing to Shigure.  
  
"Father!" Ranma snapped out on instinct, earning a dazed look from Kuno. Ranma slapped her forehead at the faux pas... Shigure was way to young to be her father.  
  
"Sir, it is a pleasure to meet you!" Gasped Kuno. "Had I known sooner your relation to my beloved I would have made my intentions known with due haste!" Shigure raised an expectant eyebrow as Kuno's 'intentions' were quite obvious to anyone with any of the five senses. Shigure's reprisal was silenced by Ranma's level look.  
  
"Sir, I would like to ask for your beautiful daughters hand in marriage!" He declared, boken held to the heavens. Ranma gagged on her breakfast, interrupting before Shigure could verbalize the evil grin that had developed on his face.  
  
"Demo... Kuno-sempai! Have you forgotten that fiend Saotome? Truly I had to flee to escape him! Even now Akane is still under his power!" Ranma turned away for a moment as if sobbing into her arm, while placing a few eyedrops under each eye.  
  
"Aye! 'Tis true that fiend, though he has disappeared, still controls the fair Akane Tendo... still she refuses my love! When you too disappeared, I feared the worse!"  
  
"It is true I escaped him!" She declared dramatically. "But I fear to fall under his power again! You must tell no one I am here!" She added in a conspiratorial whisper.  
  
"Hai my love! It shall not pass mine lips!"  
  
"Especially do not let Nabiki Tendo know, for she is surely in the employ of that fiend!"  
  
"Never! Never my love!" Real tears were making tracks down his cheeks. "Father!" He addressed Shigure, "I shall leave her in your capable hands until such times as it is safe for her to return to me!"  
  
Ranma glared meaningfully at Shigure, who for wont of any other response just nodded.  
  
"Now I shall return to free the fair Akane!" He declared.  
  
"Moron." Mumbled Ranma once he was gone, turning back to her breakfast.  
  
***  
  
"A cow!" Yelped Ryoga coming across a cow in the forest. Being a pig of course this came out as "Bweee!" 'What luck!' He thought. 'This cow surely will be able to lead me to a farm somewhere – and if not, I can always eat it!'  
  
"Shut-up pig. I'm trying to think!" Said the cow, bopping the pig on the head. If the blow hadn't of knocked the pig unconscious, the talking cow would have been a sure kill. Black Haru came to a conclusion shortly after changing back to his human form. Surely such a fat little collared pig like this had to have come from a farm or home? So if he placed the pig on the ground and watched it from a distance he could follow it home! And if that failed at least he could always eat it!  
  
***  
  
"You were suprisingly good at that." Commented Yuki suspiciously.  
  
"Ranma-chan is such a good actress!" Beamed Honda. Yuki and Kyou sweatdropped at the blatant hamming.  
  
"I was in a school play once!" Ranma mused.  
  
"Honto? Which play?" Asked Honda excitedly.  
  
"Romeo and Juliet."  
  
"What character did you play – Romeo?" Snickered Kyou. "Argh!" He yelped when Ranma stomped on his foot.  
  
"Actually, Juliet... mostly."  
  
"Ohhh... did you have to kiss anyone?' Asked Honda blushing.  
  
Ranma remembered the school play and her 'kiss' with Romeo. "Bleh! I don't wanna talk about it!"  
  
"Then why'd you bring it up, bakaonnarghhh!" Ranma stomped the other foot.  
  
"Children, children! No fighting in the house!" Interrupted Shigure. "I packed you a special lunch, mu-su-me!"  
  
'Food, pride, food, pride...' Ranma debated internally. Food won. "Eh.. oh... arigatou, Shigure-san." Pride allowed for some suspicion in her tone however.  
  
"Itte rasshai!"  
  
"Itte kimasu!" Replied Honda, whole-heartedly, albeit alone.  
  
****  
  
"I'm too scared ta eat it." Ranma stated, mesmerized by the apparently innocent bento. "You do it!" She resolutely pushed the bento across to Kyou, who just looked scandalized and pushed it back. She cast a glance at Yuki.  
  
"No!"  
  
"But I can't just waste food!" She whined, looking around desperately for a sucke... er.. recipient. "Motoko-sempai!" She yelped spotting the student body president. "I made this for you!"  
  
"I... I..." He stuttered taking the bento. He had thought all his chances with the girl were blown when his pen-friend Tatewaki had returned his last letter, claimed the girl as his fiancée that had disappeared mysteriously just a couple weeks ago. "Arigatou gozaimasu!"  
  
Back at her desk Ranma watched with morbid curiosity as the boy unwrapped the bento and tentatively poked at the contents, taking a few bites.  
  
"...nothings happening." Commented Kyou sitting next to her.  
  
"...it just can't be normal food. It just can't!" Ranma gulped in remorse. Motoko took a few more mouthfuls, when suddenly rice exploded from his mouth, spraying across the desk. "Paydirt!" Murmured Ranma. "Man I'm glad I didn't eat it!" She remarked as the boy's face went pale then red. Clutching his hands over his face, in what Ranma presumed was to keep from puking he ran from the room.  
  
Fifteen minutes later he returned to the class.  
  
"I... I will never forget this." He stuttered, returning the empty bento box.  
  
"I can't believe he ate it all..." Remarked Kyou. "I wonder what Shigure put in it... it must have been really disgusting..."  
  
****  
  
Glancing at the clock Shigure grinned to himself, Ranma-chan must have discovered the little suprise in the bottom of the bento by now.  
  
****  
  
Takei Motoko was usually the epitome of how a student should behave, however here he was in detention for not paying attention in class. But then, who could blame him for being distracted... when a girl made a bento it meant one thing, when she put a semi-naked shot of herself in the bottom.. well that was another all together. And to think he'd almost given up on her. 


	14. 03-03

"Hahahaha!" What do you think he put in it? Something gross I bet!"  
  
'Baka's' Thought Yuki. Knowing Shigure it was almost definitely something ecchi. For the forth day in a row Motoko had come to homeroom to deliver reports, spotted Ranma and run form the classroom clutching his face. Since he was glad for the reprieve the new interest gave the two from teasing him, he didn't have the heart to point out Motoko was suffering from acute nosebleeds rather than nausea. As the pair broke into insane laughter again he thought to himself, surely there's no one else naive enough to believe it's just nausea  
  
"Poor Motoko-sempai " Sighed Honda. "Do you think Shigure gave him food poisoning?" Sweatdrop.  
  
****  
  
Takaya Natsuki (aka Ranma) had risen in rank faster than anyone to ever join the Prince Yuki fanclub.  
  
The reasoning was simple, she had the one quality which Minigawa Motoko treasured above all others, - namely a lack of obsession when it came to their quarry. Sure the girl had worried her at first with her proximity to Yuki-sama, but said proximity was turning into a blessing of information. And if this interest her brother claimed she had in him panned out, all the better.  
  
"Takaya-san!" She purred to the girl who was currently lost in thought over... well something. Minigawa would swear she had no idea how the girl's mind worked sometimes. "Natsuki-chan?" No response. "...Ranma?" She asked bluntly, using the vulgar nickname the girl seemed to prefer.  
  
"Yes?" It wasn't even a girl's name!  
  
"Oniisan's sick today..."  
  
"It's not my fault!" Yelped the girl.  
  
"Ehhh... of course it's not... it's just anaemia. " She waved off the defensive statement absently. "Anyway, he asked me to give you this." She held out the paper box to the redhead that looked at it skeptically before reluctantly taking it. "He said to tell you he made it himself." The redhead visibly blanched and Minigawa wondered for the second time that day just what the hell was going on. Her brother never baked... never!  
  
"Ranma. Don't forget your mission. Report to me and only to me" Chided Minigawa seeing the distant look on the smaller girl's face. "There could be a vice presidency in this for you."  
  
"Ha.. hai!"  
  
*****  
  
"It's his revenge I guess." Shrugged Ranma, peering at the apparently perfect cake, decorated artfully with strawberries and chocolate hearts.  
  
"What are you going to do with it?" Asked Kyou.  
  
"Watch and learn, innocent." Knowing Yuki and Honda wouldn't be back for some time Ranma scrawled a short note, placing it under the plate.  
  
"Tadaima!" Cried Shigure. Entering the house.  
  
"C'mon" whispered Ranma, dragging Kyou over into the cramped food pantry, they watched as the dog (in human form) entered the kitchen.  
  
"Eh?" He commented to himself seeing the confection on the kitchen table. [Ranma's cake. Do not eat.] Read the note. "Should I... or should I not..." Mused Shigure.  
  
***People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders. ***  
  
"Ittedakimasu!!!!" Loyalty and honesty be damned! Ranma-chan was just so darn cute when she was angry, and nothing made her angrier than someone eating her food. Wickedly shoving cake into his mouth lest he be discovered Shigure failed to notice the two giggling idiots watching him through a crack in the door.  
  
"Nothings happening." Whispered Kyou, before being motioned to silence.  
  
"Gyah! Argh!" e of wild animals the various Juuinishi attracted out, and as such had no trouble keeping two martial artists with no leverage in.  
  
"Date?!?! Date?!? With you?!?" Snorted Ranma indignantly.  
  
"Umo..." Honda pointed at the pantry askance while Shigure deftly led her out of the kitchen.  
  
"You like Steak, Tohru-san?"  
  
"Um..." Voices. She was sure there were voices.  
  
"You want to eat steak with me, right Tohru-chan?" Shigure managed to well some more fake tears in his eyes.  
  
"Ah! Hai! Hai!" She cried helplessly.  
  
"... I can't hear anything. I think they're gone."  
  
"Force the door already!"  
  
"It won't move!"  
  
"Let me try!" crash "I'm stuck!"  
  
"Uh.. What's that smell?"  
  
"Hnn.. I think .. I didn't know it was possible to pickle leeks."  
  
"Gag!"  
  
*two hours later*  
  
"I'm hungry!! When are they gonna get back?!!"  
  
"Shut up! Have some leeks!"  
  
*three hours later*  
  
  
  
"Okay... I'm ready to try the leeks." Kyou admitted resignedly.  
  
"..."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I already ate them all."  
  
*much much later*  
  
"Arigatou Shigure-san." Added Honda bowing and thanking for the eighth time that night.  
  
"It was my pleasure." He responded casually. Yuki for one was shocked, Shigure had been unusually civil all evening, as if he had something more interesting occupying his mind.  
  
"Ah! Ranma-chan and Kyou-kun aren't home yet!" Declared Honda as they entered the house, the lights off and door still locked as they had left them.  
  
"Perhaps they decided to spend the night at a love motel." Suggested Shigure returning to his usual self, and causing Honda to blush furiously..  
  
"Going to bed." Said Yuki  
  
"Ah! Me too!" Chirped Honda. "Oyasumi nasai, Shigure-san."  
  
"Hai, hai!" Replied Shigure distractedly. "I just need to check on a little project of mine first then I'll retire too." Waiting till the two were out of sight he went to visit his prisoners. If his research were anything to go by the two should be making out right now. 2016 sailor moon fanfictions couldn't be wrong... locking too people in a cupboard was the best (and generally only)way to get them together. The ultimate revenge. Swinging the door wide, with camera ready, he cried out, "Tadaima!"  
  
Disappointment. Ranma-chan had somehow wedged herself on a shelf at the back of the cupboard and was stuffing herself on pickled...was that leek? Kyou slept on the floor.  
  
"Geez! It's about time!" She demanded, finishing the jar.  
  
"You! You said there were no pickles left!" Accused Kyou waking up.  
  
"Well... there aren't, now!." She shrugged licking her fingers. 


	15. 

"TENDO RANKO! You have a lot to answer for, young lady!"  
  
That voice. Ranma felt her blood freeze. Yuki and Kyou looked on confused at the expression they'd only ever seen on Ranma's face twice, both involving Neko-Kyou. Honda looked between the accuser and Ranma, noting the physical similarities. Ranma had admitted to being a run away, was this one of Ranma's guardians?  
  
"Okasan?" Murmured Ranma, barely audible.  
  
_ 


	16. 

"Umo... what are you doing, Ranko-chan?" Asked Honda curiously. The others were still inside talking when Ranma was busy manipulating chi into what looked like a warped teaspoon.  
  
"Shh. concentrating." 'Mallet. Think mallet.'  
  
******************  
  
"Great. On top of everything else, I'm now engaged to a frickin' cat magnet." Ranma glared accusingly at Kyou.  
  
"It's not my idea!"  
  
"Feh! You probably jumped at the change to be engaged to a cute thing like me! Well I'm tellin' ya now it ain't happening Kyon-kyon!"  
  
"Kya!! Don't call me that!"  
  
Honda sweatdropped through the bickering. In an argumentative style of logic the situation went from Kyou's fault to Shigure's fault. "We'll kill him!" They declared in unison.  
  
"Why not just do it?" Asked Yuki. Facefaults all round. "I mean, just pretend to go through with it. Ranma's Aunt will leave you alone anyway."  
  
"Are you kidding? If she had her way I'll be married by the end of the month! I'd die of embarrassment!"  
  
"Hey! I'm not that bad!"  
  
Ranma just rolled her eyes. "My old friends would die laughing, not to mention a few of them'd try to kill me... and you, you'd be next... if not first!" Exclaimed Ranma. "No! For all your sakes, I gotta get the heck outta here!" She declared in martyr mode. Honda was horrified.  
  
"Too bad you belong to me and can't leave till I release you from our agreement." Stated Yuki coldly.  
  
"Huh? But I can just challenge you for it and when I kick your butt I get to go anyway!"  
  
"Sorry. I'm not accepting challenges right now."  
  
"Uh? You have to! It's... it's... mandatory."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"...Don't you have any honor?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"How can you call yourself a martial artist?"  
  
"I never called myself a martial artist."  
  
"... I hate you."  
  
"That's okay, I'm not the one you're engaged to! Ahahahaha!" Yuki didn't laugh much, but Ranma was just so easy to manipulate.  
  
"Yet."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You're not engaged to me yet... I'm sure Auntie Saotome would just looooove to hear how you're keeping me against my will... a few tears here...a blush there... I could make it happen..." She whispered maliciously, eye's narrowed.  
  
"Gyeh!" 'Note to self: do not tease Ranma RE:engagements' 


	17. 17

*****Hana and Uotani 15 reproductive cycle in 15 minutes*****  
AKA lunch break biology  
"So... as you can see from this chart... and this... Uotani, next page, there is no way Ranma-chan can be." Hana-chan took a bow at the end of the private tutorial while Ranma and Honda 'ooooh'd' over the information.  
"Ah! I should have known!" Blushed Honda.  
"Huh. Well no one ever told me about this female cycle business." Shrugged Ranma.  
"So your problem isn't so bad after all, in about another twenty days you'll have all the proof you need!"  
"Twenty days?!?! Couldn't I just get one of those test thingies?"  
"I suppose." Hana-chan replied stiffly, denpa rolling off her in thick waves.  
"Ehhh... okay... twenty days it is." Ranma quickly amended. "Hey... how come you have all this information on my body temperature and stuff?"  
"Research."  
"Huhn?"  
No response.  
  
****************  
  
"Kyoooooou-kun!"  
"Ack! Hide me!" From experience Kyou knew any woman calling him -kun was bound to be trouble.  
"Hana-chan and Uo-tani explained everything!" Glomp. "I can't be pregnant so I don't gotta get married to nobody! Hi Momiji! I didn't know you went to this school! It's all got to do with woman's periods and stuff so everything is A-O-K!"  
"Ano... Ranma-chan maybe you shouldn't go yelling that around so loud." Suggested Honda.  
"Can't... breathe..." Managed Kyou.  
"Man... an amazon'd eat you alive! I wasn't even trying." For once Honda wasn't the only puzzled one at the cryptic statement. Momiji was in shock, so Ranma took the opportunity to do a body search for candy. "Score! I love this kid! Fudge!"  
"Anyway," Munch. "I gotta go meet someone, Honda, can we talk in private for a minute? You doo all the laundry at home right?"  
  
**********************************  
  
"Motoko-sama - I have.. that er... sensitive information you requested."  
"So... which is it?" She asked conspiratorially.  
Ranma suddenly came to a realisation how Nabiki could be.. well Nabiki. This information collecting and selling stuff was fun, and profitable.  
"Boxers."  
"Ah... the prince Yuki club thanks you." 'Not that any of those lecherous cows will ever share this precious piece of information.' She added mentally.  
"No problem, it was pretty easy."  
"Eh?"  
Ranma just shrugged. "Well Tohru does all the laundry at the house so I just asked her!" The class bell sounded to indicate the end of lunch break. "Gotta go, Cya!"  
  
************************  
  
Ranma arrived home from school with a rather large bag which she settled in the kitchen before meeting the others in the common area.  
"So what'd you want me for?" She asked directly (having forsaken the 'thou shalt not ask directly but rather skirt around the subject and ultimately cause misunderstanding or misunderstand the reply' commandment of the anime-verse).  
"Since Saotome-san has left us for a few days..." Sighs of releif all round. "Of you have time, Hatori wants you to drop by his clinic for some tests."  
"Yeah? No problem."  
"And you will meet Akito too."   
"Ano... I'll go get some tea!" Offered Tohru suddenly.  
"I'll help." Stated Ranma simply, getting up as well. "Heheheh..."   
Ranma opened up the box she'd set down earlier.  
"Ranma-chan?" Tohru looked askance at the multitude of sweets Ranma had bought home that evening.  
"Really... help yourself..."  
"Even me? You're voluntarily letting me eat sweets you paid for yourself?" Asked Kyou.  
"The girls home ec class made them as an assignment."  
"And the entire class decided to gift them to you?"  
"Not exactly, in fact you could say Yuki paid for them." Ranma laughed at her private joke to the annoance of the others.  
Yuki sweatdropped.   
Tohru, in a startling burst of brain activity came across the right solution. "You don't mean... that." She turned a bright shade of red and clutched her burning cheeks.  
"Anyway... who is this Akito-guy? You all went really wierd when he was mention... argh! You're doing it again!"  
Silence.  
"Eto... Akito is the head of the Sohma household." Offered Tohru of all people. He may decide he doesn't want you living here. :added Tohru morosely.  
"Huh. Well as long as I make sure he likes me there hsould be no problem, right?" When Kyou raised an eyebrow, she addded. "I can act nice when I want to."  
"..."  
"What? I can! I got manners!" 


End file.
